Tooth brush



Oct. -12, 1937.' E. E. HACHMAN TOOTH BRUSH Filed Nov. 21,

FIG. 2.

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A ORNEY Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTH BRUSH Elmer'E. Hachman, Baltimore, Md.

Application November 21, 1935, Serial No. 50,842

7 Claims. (01. 15'176) to be used with any unit that comprises the This invention relates to tooth-brushes, and especially to an assembly or .arrangement of adjustable and interchangeable brush-heads in conjunction with a handle and a shank which are of novel and useful design or shape and on which the brush-heads are normally ofiset or laterally disposed with respect to the longitudinal lines of the handle and shank.

One object of this invention is to provide a tooth-brushing arrangement that is capable of being transformed into different shapes so as to conform to the various and varying conditions in the dental arrangements in the mouths of different people, and the changes that take place in the mouth of nearly every individual; for instance; differently shaped and differently arranged teeth; the instances where teeth have been extracted, leaving sore gums that it is desired to avoid brushing while brushing the teeth that need brushing; and the instances where artificial dentures are permanently secured on mouths of persons who wish to gain ready and convenient brushing contact with the surfaces adjacent to the gums, and to clean out spaces under the dentures;

Another object is to provide an offset duplex tooth-brush which is held in horizontal position at all times when in use, in contradistinction to the ordinary or usual form of tooth-brush which must be operated in an inclined position when the users head is erect or untilted, oft times resulting in spilling tooth-washing liquid and saliva on clothing etc.; whereas, when the ofiset tooth-brush is operated (with the head erect and the tooth-brush horizontal) there is no depressing of the lower lip for permitting the liquid to escape.

Another object is to provide an offset toothbrush-head with attaching means for removably securing it in place opposite another of its kind so that, when desired, the upper and lower sets of teeth can thereby have their posterior surfaces brushed simultaneously.

Another object is to provide a tooth-brushing arrangement that includes an offset brush-head at its opposite ends so that it may be operated in opposite sides of the mouth alternately without reversing it. 7

Another object is to provide a tooth-brush with one or two brush-head-bases that are provided with openings in their opposite edges to receive and hold securing projections in the lateral edges of the brush-heads, so the latter can be interchangeably engaged with the respective sides of the brush-head-bases for the sake of variety of s s and. sh p s a P i 9? t b h- 6. 1%

handle, shank and brush-head-base.

Another object isto provide the brush-headbases with means to receive the respective brushheads in differently adjusted positions along the edges of the brush-head-bases so as to compensate for varying shapes, positions and conditions of teeth, dentures, etc.

Other objects, purposes, characteristics and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawing in which',

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the working face or side of a tooth-brush assembly or arrangement that constitutes one embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a View as seen from the opposite side of Fig. 1, the end portions being in section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a lower edge view, as considered in connection with Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a modified form that includes difierently formed brush-head-bases at its opposite ends, the right end being in section for showing the sliding connectors and the holes that receive them interchangeably, the broken lines showing how the brush-head can be moved todifferent adjustments.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a tapered brush-head-base between two slightly removed brush-heads in positions to become engaged with the brush-head-base when moved towards the latter, the lower brush-head having its studs nearer one end than the other, so its adjustment is efiected by reversing it or by interchanging from one side to the other side of the brush-headbase. H l

' Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing tongue and groove connections between the brush-heads and the brush-head-base, this showing that I do not limit my invention to any particular single form of sliding frictional securing means for the brush-heads.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view 'l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an inner edge View of either one of the brush-heads shown in Figures 6 and '7, show-. ing a split and spread end of the dovetail rib; constituting spring-frictional securing means.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a split springy stud such as may be used in lieu of any one of the studs (or all of them) such as shown in Figs. 2,

4 and 5.

'Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view showing 1 9W any or. all forms of theinvention may have taken along the line the brush-heads arranged angularly, at different angles, with respect to the brush-head-base.

Referring to this drawing in detail, wherein, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

The main unit or handle member consists of the handle Ia or lb, shanks 2a or 2b or 20, and brush-head-bases 3, 3a, 3b, 30, 30H, 3) or 3g. The right-end brush-head-base tea may also be properly considered as a brush-head, being provided with bristles 4 as are the brush-heads 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 56, 5]", 5g and 5h. The left-end brush-headbase, however, is free from bristles and may be used, alternately with that which has bristles, to carry an oifset brush-head of one of the various kinds referred to (or other kinds not here shown) for there are dental-conditions where the cooperation of two sets of bristles is desirable, and other dental conditions that call for use of a brush'pn. certain teeth or dentures that are adjacent to tenderor diseased gums to be untouched while brushing the teeth.

' The main purpose of offsetting the brush-heads is to gain free, easy and unobstructed brushing access to the posterior and lingual surfaces of the sets of teeth in theusers mouth. When brushing teeth with these offset brush-heads (including bristles) ,there is a tendency for the handle to" turn in the hand of the user; so the handle is made relatively thin, wide and long to offset the turning tendency by a slight gripping pressure of the thumb and fingers of the users hand. This turning tendency is also offset, or overcome in part, by forming the shanks in a compound curve, aS'ShOWII, so the plane of the handle lies substantially in the same plane with the free ends of the bristles 4; the plane of the handle meaning the plane that lies in the length and breadth of the handle. Moreover, this curving of the shanks provides easier working or brushing access of all-the bristles to the surfaces to be cleaned.

Persons who consider theimportanoe of timesaving, and who wish to brush the upper and lower sets of teeth simultaneously, can accomp1 ish the same by employing the brush-heads in bi-lateral relation as indicated at the right end of Fig; 1 and at both ends of Fig. 4; and when thus used, advantages may be obtained by having'thebrush-headbases and brush-heads angular or'outw'ardly tapering as shownat 3b; 30, 5b and 5c, or by having only the one or the other (brush-head-base or brush-head) tapered, as is shown in Fig. -'6. When a 'persons mouth is open, the upper and lower sets of teeth are inwardly inclined towards one another, being relatively close together at points farthest posterior where the assembly 3c-5b-5b is narrowest when used in brushing these posterior teeth; but when thus used, the widest part of the assembly is in brushing contact with the more widely spaced teeth of the inclined sets.

For most thoroughly "cleaning the teeth and massaging the gingivae or gums, the unilateral assembly 'or arrangement is preferable to the bilateral arrangement; and in order that the operation of the unilateral assembly may be thoroughly understood, the handle-member may be consider'ed'as having two axes, viz., the longitudinal axis Iand'the transverse axis. The longitudinal axis is that about which the device is turned from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 without reversing the ends. The transverse axis is that which passes through or across the middle part of the handle, and about which the device is turned in reversing its ends. In brushing the outer surfaces of the upper set of teeth, the device as shown in Fig. 1 is held in the users hand, and the brush-head 5a at the right-hand end is used in the right side of the mouth and against the upper set of teeth and against the outer surfaces thereof; next, the device is turned about its transverse axis to bring the left-hand end into the left side of the mouth wherein the brush-head at the left engages with the outer surfaces of the upper set of teeth; then, to gain brushing access to the inner or lingual surfaces of the upper teeth, it is necessary to turn the device about its transverse axis to the reversed (end for end) position where the bristles project away from the user. Continuing the use of the device after brushing the upper teeth, it will be seen that the device may now be rotated on its longitudinal axis so as to turn the brush-heads 5a downward, and as the bristles will then extend towards the user, they arebrought into contact with the outer surfaces of the lower set of teeth by alternately turning the device about its transverse axis until the proper brushing contact is made with the right and left sides of said set of lower teeth; and finally, when it is desired to change the position of the device preparatory to brushing the lingualsurfa'ces of the lower teeth,

the device is turnedabout its transverse axis to its reverse or end-for-end position where the bristles again point or extend outward, and the ends are respectively swung into the right and left sides of the mouth by swinging or turning the device about its transverse axis.

It is a well recognized fact that tender gums need massaging for toughening them; but experience has proven that the sharp ends of bristles sometimes (if not quite often) scratch, puncture and irritate the gums so that they become sore and infected; so it is desirable to massage the gums or gingivae with the sides of the bristles while brushing the teeth and cleaning between the teeth with the ends of the bristles; and this dual operation can most satisfactorily be accomplished. by the angular relation of brush-headbase and brush-heads as shown in Fig. 10. Inasmuch as the setting of teeth differs in different persons mouths, it is desirable that different angularities be provided, and this may be accomplished by interchanging parts such as 59 and 5h in engagement with the brush-head-base 39.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 10, the bristles are omitted, the bristle-sockets being shown at '6, but it-is understood that all the brush-heads are considered as including bristles. It is also intended that the outer edges of all brush-heads shall be of the semicylindrical or rounded form as shown in Figs. 3, '7, 8 and 10, so it will not only eliminate corners that might hurt the gums, but provides a hard smooth rounded surface for helping to massage the gums.

Attaching studs. 1 fit into bores 8 and frictionally engage with the walls thereof in securing the brush-heads 5a and 5b in place, and studs Ta frictionally engage with the walls of the bores 8a for frictionally holding the brush-heads 5c, 5d and 5c in place; for as these studs are of springy material, it is only necessary to bend them slightly out of parallel with one another, so the parallel bores force them into parallel and combine therewith for effecting their frictional sliding engagement while permitting them to. be removed and interchanged. However, if desired, each engaging pin may be such 'as shown at lc (Fig. 9),

split approximately throughout its length and having slightly bowed springy sides that define the walls of the split 1d; and the formation of these split pins may be effected by bending halfround springy wire into the shape shown or into other appropriate shape. In lieu of the attaching studs, dovetail ribs Ir may be employed, and these may be split at Is longitudinally through a tapered part of the rib that normally fits in a tapered part of a groove 8g of the brush-headbase 3;. Both the ribs IT and walls of the grooves 8g are somewhat springy, so they effect the necessary frictional engagement for keeping the parts from becoming accidentally displaced while permitting them to be adjusted and interchanged by manually applied force. 7

Although I have described these embodiments of my invention specifically, it is not my intention to limit my patent protection to these specific details, for the invention is susceptible of numerous changes without departure from the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is: v

1. A tooth-brush comprising a handle member having one end formed with a relatively thin and long and wide brush-head-base, a relatively thin and wide and long brush-head provided with bristles and having one longitudinal thin edge normally fitted against a longitudinal edge of said brush-head-base and provided with means for removably securing it to the latter and for interchangeably securing it to the opposite longitudinal edge of the brush-head-base in a useful correlation with the latter.

2. A tooth-brush comprising a handle member having one end formed with a relatively thin and wide and long brush-head-base, a relatively thin and wide and long brush-head provided with bristles and having one longitudinal thin edge normally fitted against a longitudinal thin edge of said brush-head-base and provided with means for securing it in different adjusted positions along said brush-head-base.

3. A tooth-brush comprising a handle member having a relatively thin and wide and long brushhead-base at one end provided with an elongated socket, and a relatively thin and wide and long brush-head provided with bristles and having one of its longitudinal thin edges against a longitudinal thin edge of said brush-head-base and provided with an inherently springy elongated dowel curved lengthwise and normally penetrating said brushhead-base and exerting pressure against the wall of said socket for frictionally securing said brush-head against accidental displacement while permitting it to be removed manually for replacement by another brush-head when desirable.

4. A tooth-brush including a handle member, a brush-head on an end of the handle and being longer than its breadth, the brush-head having bristles secured thereto and extending from one face thereof, said handle member including a substantially straight part and a compound-curved part which latter'is between the brush-head and the straight part of the handle, the plane of said straight part lying substantially in the plane of the free or brushing ends of the bristles, and a second brush-head movably but normally fixed against a longitudinal edge of the first said brushhead and laterally offset therefrom.

5. A tooth-brush which includes a brush-headbase having lateral edges provided with openings, and brush-heads each having lateral edges provided with securing elements to be removably seated in said openings in such relation that the brush-heads can be interchanged and reversed.

6. A tooth-brush which includes a brush-headbase having longitudinally and outwardly tapered lateral edges, and a brush-head having a lateral edge provided with means to secure it interchangeably to the lateral edges of said brushhead-base.

7. The structure defined by claim 6, said means also being such as to permit the brush-head to be adjusted longitudinally on the brush-head-base.

ELMER E. HACHMAN. 

